President Lee Jae-myung Reviews Close Associates for Positions of Minister of Justice and Minister of the Interior and Safety

As President Lee Jae-myung accelerates the formation of his cabinet following his inauguration, it is reported that Representative Jung Sung-ho of the Democratic Party, a classmate of President Lee from the Judicial Research and Training Institute (18th class), has been designated as the candidate for Minister of Justice, while five-term lawmaker Yoon Ho-jung of the Democratic Party has been earmarked as the candidate for Minister of the Interior and Safety.

According to a report from JoongAng Ilbo on the 28th, President Lee is expected to finalize appointments for the Ministers of Justice and the Interior and Safety, as well as the Chief of Civil Affairs at the Presidential Office and the Deputy Minister of Justice, with an announcement likely to occur today (29th).

Particularly noted as a candidate for Minister of Justice, Representative Jung Sung-ho has maintained a close relationship with President Lee for nearly 40 years, being one of his most trusted associates.

Jung, referred to as the chair of the so-called 'Seven-Person Council,' has been a key figure in actively supporting President Lee in the last three presidential elections and is said to share a friendly rapport with him, to the extent that the President privately calls him “hyung” (brother).

However, there were speculations at one time that "the distance between Jung and President Lee had grown," as he is known for not hesitating to offer frank advice to the President.

Placement of Close Associates in Key Posts to Promote Judicial Reform

Five-term lawmaker Yoon Ho-jung, also cited as a candidate for Minister of the Interior and Safety, is categorized as a close associate of President Lee.

During the last presidential election, Yoon served as the general head of the election campaign committee, providing support for President Lee's campaign.

In the 21st National Assembly, he played a central role as co-chair of the Democratic Party’s emergency countermeasures committee and as the floor leader.

Originally, there was speculation about him being appointed as the Minister of Economy and Finance or Minister of Justice, but he has now been assigned to the role of Minister of the Interior and Safety.

As a successor to former Chief of Civil Affairs Oh Kwang-soo, who resigned amid allegations of hidden assets, Bong-wook, a lawyer at Kim & Chang, is reportedly being considered for the position.

Bong has held key positions in the prosecution, including head of the Cybercrime Investigation Division, Planning Division, and Public Security Planning, and although he is not a specialist in criminal justice, he is well-respected both inside and outside the prosecution and is recognized for understanding the need for judicial reform. He is regarded as the right candidate to minimize side effects arising from the reform and restructuring processes.

Lee Jin-soo has been appointed as the Deputy Minister of Justice. After graduating from Seoul National University Law School, he completed the 29th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute and served in various capacities such as the head of the Eastern District Prosecutor's Office in Busan and the head of the Northern District Prosecutor’s Office in Seoul, primarily as a prosecutor in criminal investigations who is not from the special investigation field.

Image source: Representative Jung Sung-ho of the Democratic Party / News1, Representative Yoon Ho-jung of the Democratic Party / News1, President Lee Jae-myung delivering a government address on the 2025 2nd supplementary budget during the 426th National Assembly (extraordinary session) at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the morning of the 26th / News1